document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=422111>Question 422111</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> 6. If Leah is 6 years older than Sue, and John is 5 years older than Leah, and the total of their ages is 41. Then how old is Sue?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I tried to solve it on my own by dividing all 3 into 41 and then subtracted 6 hrs from sue and the subtracted 5 yrs from Leah and I am not coming up anywhere close to any of the answers provided. I don't know how to figure out what method to use when solving word problems. Can you please help? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #294661 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=294661\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let L = Leah's age, S = Sue's age, and J = John's age\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So because \"Leah is 6 years older than Sue\", we know that L = S+6 (ie add 6 years to Sue's age to get Leah's age)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Since \"John is 5 years older than Leah\", we also know that J = L+5\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Finally, we know that \"the total of their ages is 41\", which tells us that L + S + J = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So simply plug in J = L+5 to get\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "L + S + (L+5) = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "L + S + L + 5 = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now plug in L = S + 6 to get\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(S+6) + S + (S+6) + 5 = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "S + 6 + S + S + 6 + 5 = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now let's solve for S\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "S + 6 + S + S + 6 + 5 = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "3S + 17 = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "3S = 41 - 17\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "3S = 24\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "S = 24/3\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "S = 8\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So Sue is 8 years old (since S = 8 )\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So Leah is L = S+6 = 8+6 = 14 years old (since L = 14)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "And John is J = L + 5 = 14 + 5 = 19 years old.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Notice that the sum of their ages is\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "8+14+19 = 22+19 = 41\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "If you need more help, email me at <a  rel=nofollow HREF=\"mailto:jim_thompson5910@hotmail.com?Subject=I%20Need%20Algebra%20Help\">jim_thompson5910@hotmail.com</a>\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Also, please consider visiting my website: <a  rel=nofollow HREF=\"http://www.freewebs.com/jimthompson5910/home.html\">http://www.freewebs.com/jimthompson5910/home.html</a> and making a donation. Thank you\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Jim<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );